X-Press Legal Services
A Market Leader
X-Press Legal Services Limited is a market leader within the personal search industry and provides high quality accurate property related data for solicitors, property developers and other conveyancing professionals. Last year the group provided over 150k products across the country.
Operating on a national scale, with a network of over 40 franchisees in the UK, X-Press Legal Services have built up a reputation for clear, concise, accurate reports, which are supported by a first class administration system.
Founded in 2000 by Lynne Lister, former managing editor of Business Franchise Magazine, and celebrating the ten year anniversary this September, X-Press Legal Services have also proved themselves to be a franchising market leader by being finalists in three prestigious franchise awards in the past two years.
X-Press Legal Services are the only franchise, from almost 850 in the UK, to be finalists in both the 2009 & 2010 bfa Franchisor of the Year awards, as well as being nominated in the 2010 Franchise Marketing Awards (FMA).
Earlier this year, X-Press Legal Services were announced as finalists in the 2010 ‘HSBC Franchise Support’ category, previously being recognised in the ‘HSBC Award for Enterprise’ category in 2009.
The 2010 bfa award, which is supported by HSBC, recognised how X-Press Legal Services continuously put systems in place to ensure the very best support for its franchise network, and as a result of this support gave their franchisees a unique chance of success for their businesses.
Being nominated for the FMA, which were judged by a panel of independent industry experts, recognised how X-Press Legal Services provide local and national marketing support to the entire network, on an ongoing basis.
Dan Archer, Franchise Development Director for X-Press Legal Services Limited, commented: “Our industry has faced changes in the last two years and as a result of this we have had to modify our system to ensure that our franchisees are supported in the best possible way.”
Dan continues: “The franchisees enthusiasm throughout the process and also their understanding for the need to change has been outstanding and has enabled us to turn a threat into a real opportunity. Our competitors have not had access to previsions that we have introduced which have allowed our business to continue growing.”
In March 2010, the X-Press Legal Services network experienced a record month with the network as a whole performing their highest number of searches in its 10 year history. As a result of X-Press Legal Services being proactive and introducing changes, the network witnessed a 27% increase in turnover, compared to the previous year. While competitors suffered, X-Press franchisees flourished.
Commenting on this success Archer says: “This is a significant achievement for the network as a whole with some fantastic results for the individual businesses. The business is not affected by housing market downturns, as we also provide products for remortgages and repossession.”
“Our performance as a network during the downturn is remarkable and whatever the future brings we feel that X-Press Legal Services is uniquely placed to thrive as the economy recovers.”
He concluded: “The strength of the 40 plus franchisees that we have operating, in the last 24 months, is an inspiration to me and should be one to anybody considering being awarded one of the 18 territories that we have vacant.”
The X-Press Legal Services network is made up of highly qualified and very experienced people from many different industries, with the majority coming from a non legal background, as no legal experience is needed.
55% of the network are females but all of the franchisees benefit from a business that allows them to be flexible when it comes to the needs of their family.
A key advantage of the X-Press Legal Services franchise is that it enables the business to start working in a home office environment, minimising initial overheads, increasing profitability and allowing the business to grow as the individual sees fit. Depending on the aspirations of the franchisee, the business can either stay small or as some existing franchisees have, be developed into a substantial business with premises and employees.
Working from the home office allows the franchisee to manage their working day effectively, taking into account different circumstances. For those who have young families and need to break the day up in order to deal with the daily school run and child care, the business works by prioritising things that can only be achieved during normal business hours such as visiting clients and the councils, then returning to the office later on in the evening. A successful business can be run without compromising family life.
Another benefit that the X-Press Legal Services network experiences is the high level of support that is offered by the franchisor. Louise Morgan, franchisee for the Dartford, Gravesham, Medway, Sevenoaks, Tonbridge & Malling, Maidstone and Swale area commented: “There is always someone on hand to offer help and advice if a problem or situation occurs that hasn’t been encountered before. This is especially important when setting up a business for the first time and especially important if it is in a business that you have no experience in.”
Head Office, located in Warrington, Cheshire, consists of members of staff who are all specifically trained in different aspects of the business from IT, accounts and marketing and are all on hand to give help and support to any of the network when desired.
The original business is also run from Warrington ensuring that the support is always relevant. As part of the initial training the franchisee works in the core business in order to show them what to look for when running the business in their own territory.
Christian Lister, Operations Director, is highly regarded in the industry and represents the interests of X-Press Legal Services in Westminster. The network is able to benefit from Christian’s in depth knowledge and experience of the industry, and he is available to help and advise on any issues they may face from the councils, industry or government.
Due to the systems that are in place, the X-Press Legal Services franchise allows you to be your boss but at the same times provides you with marketing support and regular on-going events, such as an annual conference, training reviews and regional meetings.
A number of innovative and effective marketing initiatives are offered to the franchisees, including campaigns to inform and update existing and prospective clients of changes to legislation within the personal search industry. This provides added value for existing clients while at the same time creating an opportunity for new client acquisition. These campaigns are supported by national marketing, allowing for the core market to be targeted efficiently and keeping costs to a minimum for the franchisee(s) involved.
As part of the franchise package each new the X-Press Legal franchisee is provided with an intensive two week residential training course at the dedicated Training Centre in Warrington, Cheshire. The training programme delivers every aspect of the X-Press Legal Services model, from the business administration side to the actual hands on experience of completing a search.
In addition, the legislation which underpins the industry is covered with the technical and operational knowledge needed to run the business and the sales and marketing process.
The support doesn’t stop with a two week training course, every franchisee is provided with ongoing technical back up and continuous sales as well as national and local marketing support and regular training updates.
Franchisees are also given full training and access to bespoke software which is regularly updated and has been specifically created, enabling franchisees to complete all aspects of data reporting and client relationship management.
X-Press Legal Services provides a white collar consultative business to business service that involves dealing with professional clients. The low risk, proven business model and first class product results in regular repeat business. Clients, including solicitors and other conveyancing professionals all provide each franchise with a high volume but not mass market business. A small number of clients can bring a large and regular income.
